Military Family Board Game

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a board game typically including counters, playing pieces, pawns or the like. The playing pieces are placed of the board and moved across the board in accordance with the play of the game wherein the game board is comprised of at least two sections, one having a parameter of playing squares. The sections are arranged to be part of a game focused on military families who experience separation due to work schedules and/or deployments.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a board game, more specifically a game focused on military families who experience separation due to work schedules and/or deployments. This game promotes an environment of sharing feelings, fears and concerns regarding the separation while teaching children social skills they need in their ever-changing lives.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, a board game will include a board upon which play takes place. The board, in order to fit into the box may typically be a single thick sheet of cardboard or the like material folded in two, and which is opened for the play of the game.

Usually, a board game will include counters, playing pieces, pawns or the like which are placed on the board, and are moved across the board in accordance with the play of the game. Board games constructed in the above fashion have been known for very many years, and largely still continue in use today.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide a novel form of board game enabling the extension of play on a board to enhance military families to maintain strong family ties.

The board game (Mail Call) was designed for military families who experience separation due to work schedules and/or deployments. This game promotes an environment of sharing feelings, fears and concerns regarding the separation while teaching children social skills they need in their ever-changing lives. Children and parents are encouraged to talk about their deployment/separation experiences and expectations in a safe and fun atmosphere. The goal of this game is to help military families maintain strong family ties through understanding and sharing. Because the needs of each individual family differ, the game can be played as a “team” (cooperatively) where there is no winner or looser, or competitively. The object of the game is to get all five of your care package items, one customs form per player, and all five postage stamps so that you can get a care package assembled and mailed out. Players may go around the board as many times as needed until the care package is completed.

In accordance with the invention, the board game has at least two sections, one of which has an aperture or container and said sections being arranged to be part of a game wherein in the play of the game a player or players move playing pieces on a first lo play surface on the first section of the board and on which play does or may lead the one or one of the players to place the or one of the playing pieces in the aperture so that it rests on the second section of the playing board, and the first section can be used while the second section of playing board on which play can take place in the subsequent playing of the game.

The board game of the present invention will contain:

Game board

Mail Call question cards

Mail Call famous quotations cards (may be removed if playing with younger children)

1 die

6 playing pawns

30 care package items (5 per player)

6 Custom Forms cards (1 per player)

30 postage stamps (5 per player)

Getting Started

Place the game board on a table. Mix up the quotation and question cards and place them face down on the card space located on the game board. Each player should select a pawn and place it on START. Each player then selects five care package items, five postage stamps and a Customs Form that he or she wants to contribute to the box. If playing cooperatively, place the postage stamps, care package items and Customs Forms in a convenient place for all players to access.

How to Play and Win

Each player rolls the die once. The player with the largest number goes first. Players then take turns going around the board, with play proceeding to the left. If playing competitively, the game is over when the first player has placed all of his or her care package items, stamps and customs form on the board. If playing cooperatively, the game is over when all players have worked together to get the entire care package lo items, postage and customs forms on the board. If a player lands on the START space, he/she rolls again.

If a player lands on a STAMP space, he or she takes the first card from the deck and reads it out loud (players can choose to have a designated reader). The player may choose not to answer any question or respond to any quotation. However, if the player chooses not to respond, he or she is not able to place his or her stamp on the board. This encourages players to talk about their feelings regarding the questions or quotations in a safe environment. If the player chooses to answer the question, he or she places a stamp on the game board.

If a player lands on a Customs Form space, he/she may place his/her custom form on the game board.

If a player lands on a Care Package space, he/she may choose one item to place on the game board.

If a player lands on a Freedom of Choice space, he or she may choose to take a question/quotation card, answer, and place a stamp on the board or the player may choose to place a care package item on the board or the player may place his or her customs form on the board.

Be careful, on the Federal Holiday spaces the post office is closed and players are not able to obtain postage or contribute a care package item.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1—Playing board bottom

FIG. 2—Playing board top

FIG. 3—Box bottom

FIG. 4—Box top

FIG. 5—Customs Form

FIG. 6—Pawns

FIG. 7—Playing pieces

While I have shown and described only two embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ENABLING AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims, as those skilled in the art will make modifications to the invention for particular uses.

FIG. 1, Box Top—The box top contains my device, the title Mail Call The Military Deployment Game. The background art is desert camouflage and the remaining art resembles a parcel with one stamp in the top right corner that says Postage Paid. In the top left corner is a picture of a return address stamp with a mailbox on it and the words Ages 8 to Adult 2-6 Players Fun for All! The above artwork is original and is repeated on all four sides of the box.

FIG. 3. Box Bottom—The bottom of the box is done in desert camouflage. It contains a description of the game:

Just open the box and you are ready to experience an enjoyable and refreshing way to explore military deployment!

Mail Call was designed for military families who experience separation due to work schedules and/or deployments. This fun and exciting game promotes an environment lo of shared feelings, fears, and concerns regarding separation while teaching social skills children need in their ever-changing lives. The goal of this board game is to help military families maintain strong family ties through understanding and sharing. Because the needs of each individual family differ, Mail Call can be played competitively or as a team (cooperatively) where there is no “winner” or “loser”.

Players of all ages will delight in chasing each other around the game board, FIG. 2, trying to get a care package assembled and mailed out to a loved one!

In the top right side it contains a list of the game contents:

FIG. 1 and 2, Game Board

Mail Call Question Cards

Mail Call Famous Quotation Cards

1 Die

FIG. 7, 30 Care Package Items (5 per Player)

FIG. 5, 6 Customs Forms (1 per Player)

30 Postage Stamps (5 per Player)

The box bottom also includes a picture of the game box top, game board and one Military Quotes playing card and one Questions playing card.

FIG. 2—Game Board—The game board contains 29 playing spaces. Each space represents a different action taken by a player. The spaces are as follows with brief descriptions:

If a player lands on a STAMP space, FIG. 7-a, he or she takes the first card from the deck and reads it out loud (players can choose to have a designated reader). The player may choose not to answer any question or respond to any quotation. However, if the player chooses not to respond, he or she is not able to place his or her stamp, FIG. 7-d, on the board, FIG. 2. This encourages players to talk about their feelings regarding the questions or quotations in a safe environment. If the player chooses to answer the question, he or she places a stamp on the game board, FIG. 2.

There are 10 identical STAMP spaces that look like post offices, FIG. 7-a. Each space is the same and has a picture of a post office with a letter on top and a Question/Quote card picture on it.

If a player lands on a Customs Form, FIG. 5 and FIG. 7-e, space, he/she may place his/her custom form on the game board.

There are four identical Customs Form spaces on the board, FIG. 7-e. The spaces have a light blue background with a look a like U.S. Customs Form (FIG. 5) on it.

If a player lands on a Care Package space, FIG. 7-f, he/she may choose one item to place on the game board.

There are 8 identical Care Package spaces. The spaces contain an orange background with a picture of a dog standing on a table looking at a box with books, balls and bottles in it, FIG. 7-f.

If a player lands on a Freedom of Choice, FIG. 7-g, space, he or she may choose to take a question/quotation card, answer, and place a stamp on the board, FIG. 7-d, or the player may choose to place a care package item on the board or the player may place his or her customs form on the board.

There are 2 identical Freedom of Choice spaces on the board, FIG. 7-g. Each space has a white background with pictures of the American flag, folded, with a medal lying on top of it.

Be careful, on the Federal Holiday, FIG. 7-h, spaces the post office is closed and players are not able to obtain postage or contribute a care package item.

There are 3 Federal Holiday spaces on the board. One is a picture of a Christmas tree with a package with the words Merry Christmas on the top, one is a picture of a turkey with the words Happy Thanksgiving, one is a picture of four solders raising a flag with the words Veterans Day on it.

The center of the game board has a desert camouflaged background with four pictures of stamps in the background and the following spaces:

In the center of the game board there are five spaces for players to place items. They are:

-   -   1. Left bottom corner, card space that has the text         Questions/Quote on it. Players place cards on top of this         picture and take one when needed.     -   2. Right bottom corner is a picture of a dog standing by a table         with a box filled with books, balls and bottles. This space is         designated for players to place all five of their care package         playing pieces on.     -   3. Left top corner is a copy of a U.S. Customs Form. This space         is designated for players to put one Customs Form playing piece         on.     -   4. Right top corner is a picture of a stamp designated for         players to place five of their stamp playing pieces on. 

1. In a game comprising playing pieces and a game board having at least first and second board sections, defining first and second game sections, the first board section having an perimeter of game squares by which to indicate position wherein each player moves playing pieces on the first game section or may lead the players to place one of the playing pieces in the second board section, in order to reveal the second or inner lo board game section on which play can take place in the subsequent playing of the game, so that the portion of the second board section simultaneously forms part of both the first game section and the second game section.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein each player selects five care package items, five postage stamps and a customs form that he or she wants to contribute to their box.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the game is over when the first player has placed all of his or her care package items, stamps and customs form on the board.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein, if playing cooperatively, the game is over when all players have worked together to get all care package items, postage and customs forms on the board. 